Life is full of twists and turns. Your career will have unknown paths and roads. Sometimes you will come to a fork in the road. Which road will you choose and why? Whose life will you impact along the way?
It has often been said that the only place where “success” comes before “work” is in the dictionary. But, success does not happen overnight. It takes years of building dreams and working towards those dreams to reach the peak of the mountain.
Career success for women has taken on a different meaning in the millennium. With more women in the workforce than ever, career success has become a pinnacle of achievement for women to bring forth a greater good and change in communities. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in 2014, women between the ages of 35-54 represented 42.8% of the workforce. Since 2000, there has been a 9.5% increase of women in the workforce and since 1990 there has been a 21.7% increase. The percentages have more than doubled in various occupations. However, career success for women represents more than just the statistics mentioned above.
Amy Ballon and Lisa Whitaker, owners of the Hemisphere Sales Group, a boutique firm that handles high-end luxury real estate sales and marketing, advised us, “True success is achieved when you can change lives, empower, encourage and provide opportunities for women, who otherwise would not be afforded such opportunities.”
We recently had the opportunity to meet Amy and Lisa at a private event for the launch of Sabbia Beach, a 72-unit luxury beachfront high-rise on Pompano Beach. When we asked Amy and Lisa what success meant to them, they stated, “Our driving force is our passion to change lives. To be successful, there is only one thing that should always be in the forefront of your thoughts: people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” As exquisite as they are bright, Amy and Lisa reminded us that “Success is not only measured by how much you make, but by the lives you have touched. Helping those less fortunate than you is where true success is found.” We agreed with that sentiment and expressed our interest in important causes, including helping women who are battling breast cancer through the support of serving on the board of charities such as Glam-a-THON.
A similar perspective on career success was imparted to us from Patti Stanger, founder and CEO of Millionaire’s Club International, and the TV personality behind “Millionaire Matchmaker.” We spoke with Patti in a private interview at the Sabbia Beach event regarding what career success meant to her. She stated, “I believe in working hard, doing your research and following your passion.” Equally applicable to her dating wisdom, Patti boldly advised us, “Stop listening to the naysayers. Listen to your heart. “
Your career is not a 5K race. It is a marathon. The long-term matters as does the journey. As Elizabeth Chronise McLaughlin said, “I surround myself with like-minded women who encourage me to be my best self. We become the company we keep.”
Our advice: Chase your dreams. Help uplift the women around you by embracing causes that encourage support and awareness. Network with the women most involved in the causes that you feel passionate about. Go for a job that will foster learning and greater growth. Most importantly, follow your heart to the path of success that you desire.
